Latest news indicates there may be a small breach in the privacy of our use of cell phones and computers by certain special interest groups. So far I have heard no mention of info gathering from on air amateur radio stations.Apparently the hi-tech info gathering budget doesn't include funding for lo-tech RF info.I guess if you want secure/private communications today a mobile pirate station is the way to go.Speaking in tongues of course.

Ham communications has always been available for monitoring by any/all governments - a very explicit agreement between amateurs and government, with broad restrictions/shutdowns in wartime. Also self-monitored by amateur societies as well (e.g. "OO postcards"). And, well, pretty much anybody with a radio.

Some of us would like it, if FCC did more pro-active monitoring and enforcement, rather than less. ARRL certainly plugs their spectrum defense fund, to fill in many places where the FCC is not stepping up to the plate on their own.

See, this is the sore point. The government agencies and contractors/employees (outside FCC which unfortunately doesn't do much anymore) that do the monitoring, cannot tell us that they are monitoring without breaking the law and/or violating the super-secret court orders. Government officials sometimes have to lie (or at least not reveal) to congress, because if they revealed anything they would be violating the super-secret court orders. What a tangled web. e.g. Clapper is in a true Catch-22.

Nothing to worry about here... There is no one monitoring or sifting any ham radio traffic anywhere... Honest, I promise... Really... Nothing to worry about... Move along, this isn't the traffic you are looking for...

GOM: I've received 2 QSL cards from the FCC during my ham career..... I really don't think getting one from NSA (No Such Agency) would be any more enjoyable. Actually, the hand delivered "QSL" will be from the FBI, not NSA.

Actually, on a serious note, this kind of operation has been going on since WWI. Not to worry.

Not worried,just curious as to how much effort was devoted to tracking coded traffic on the ham or short wave bands,maybe that will leak out in tomorrows news.I'm all set,very mobile with qrp gear and a tin foil liner in my baseball hat.

... Some of us would like it, if FCC did more pro-active monitoring and enforcement, rather than less. ...

Bingo! I've heard enough talk on HF the past few years to know that "Some" above could safely be replaced with "A whole lot of us". I, for one, would be delighted if the FCC monitored 75 meters (for example) like they used to 30 years ago and fined the daylights out of the drunk, filthy-mouthed ilk that live there.

At any rate, I wouldn't care if the FCC, NSA, CIA, etc. recorded every single word I ever said (or will say) on the radio. I have nothing to hide.

Not worried,just curious as to how much effort was devoted to tracking coded traffic on the ham or short wave bands,maybe that will leak out in tomorrows news.I'm all set,very mobile with qrp gear and a tin foil liner in my baseball hat.

If you look carefully at this site:http://zapatopi.net/afdb/You will find a PDF file for construction of a foil hat... Also there is a rousing discussion on which side to have pointing towards your head, the shiny side, or the dull side...

Not kidding, this is one of the best joke sites I have ever seen on the net...

Thanks for the site and resulting revelant info,now I know why my cap has not been functioning properly,for one thing I was using the cheap WallMart brand foil instead of genuine Reynolds aluminum foil.

Thanks for the site and resulting revelant info,now I know why my cap has not been functioning properly,for one thing I was using the cheap WallMart brand foil instead of genuine Reynolds aluminum foil.

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